Web Ethics : an Antidote to Computer Corruption on Campus

This paper is an adaptation of the "Web Ethics" chapter in a new book manuscript entitled: "S.P.I.D.E.R.S. on the Web : Societal Perspectives : Intelligence, Diversity and Ethics with Research Sources". This work speaks directly to the target audience: college or university students. As any technology, computers are neutral machines that can have both positive and negative effects on society. Both positive and negative effects are determined not only by computer designers, but by computer users. The purpose of this paper is to examine some ethical concerns about computer usage of college and university students. The focus of this paper is one particular use of the computer : The Internet. Issues examined through this Web-ethics filter include :defining concerns. examining policies and suggesting solutions. A self-assessment survey, a list of controversial discussion topics, some relevant web sites and references are also presented. Inarguably, web sites are links to global resources both human and media-based. In either case, you must realize an important factor about accessing Web sites : Internet is no nirvana, no Garden of Eden. ... Like all other aspects of life, traffic on the Internet can be mundane, boring, uncivil, offensive, trite, and truly inessential. The Internet, in short, is Like life itself, and that means, of course, that the judicious person cannot only avoid its pitfalls, but also benefit greatly by its virtues. (Clark. 1997). "Pitfalls" and "virtues" are defined within a Western world cultural context : the concept of ethics.